Microorganisms can be a substantial hygiene and health problem in the household. The adherence of microorganisms to surfaces is undesirable, in particular in the case of pathogenic microorganisms. Adherent microorganisms often lead to infections or to re-infections in humans, animals and even plants.
Delicate textiles such as silks or microfibers are being increasingly made into clothing that can only be washed at 30 or 40° C. Microorganisms are not safely killed off at such temperatures. In addition to the lower washing temperatures, it is also usual nowadays to use liquid washing agents that are generally free of bleaching agents, which are antimicrobially active. In addition, problems with unpleasant odors may also occur because remaining germs reproduce on the laundry during drying, wearing or storage and produce malodorous metabolic products.
However, the problem of the adhesion of microorganisms exists not only on clothing or other textile fabrics, such as hand towels or bed linen, but also when cleaning in the household itself, for example hard surfaces such as floors, baths or even dishes.
The prevailing washing behavior means that textiles or surfaces contaminated with viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms cannot be sterilized to the required degree, causing infection or re-infection in certain circumstances.
Antimicrobially active compounds and compositions as well as the use thereof in washing agents are known in the prior art. For example, WO 2013/064340 A1 discloses a cleaning agent for hard surfaces having a pH in the range of from 9 to 12, which agent comprises benzalkonium chloride, a salt of di- or tricarboxylic acids, sodium tripolyphosphate and water.
WO 2012/055775 A1 describes quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) as microbially active compounds in liquid washing or cleaning agents. However, it is precisely in such washing, cleaning or disinfecting formulations which have biocidal quaternary ammonium compounds that a concentration-dependent poor level of activity has been shown, in particular in the case of gram-negative bacteria. Said bacteria occur in particular in moist regions, as prevail in the bath or on damp laundry.